Inspiration can come from anywhere. Personally, other than deep conversations with others and beautiful surroundings, I use visual aides to encourage me. I love taking personal pictures and adding inspiring quotes to them. I think you will love this one about perseverance that I made yesterday!

I just saw the story of Mallory Weggemann and had to share it with you. She is such a beautiful person inside and out. The world needs more people who live life the way she does. I had to showcase her story in this series. I would love her to do my interview someday :)

I love swimming!! If I had it my way, I would spend all day in or around the water. It makes me feel alive.

As I have said in a previous post, sometimes I feel as if I am part fish.

If I could do one activity every day for the rest of my life and not get bored of it, it would be swimming. The water is almost as essential as oxygen to my survival. Maybe that's because I was raised always being near, in, or on the water.

I know you have probably heard this quote many times in your life. I have and I've promised myself that I wouldn’t give up on my dream. However, I just realized that I almost did, and I am so happy that I did not.

When I finished graduate school, two of my goals were: to keep blogging and to help reduce bullying in sport. In both avenues, I almost gave up.

When it came to reducing bullying in sport, I saw the need through personal experiences - teams I have been on and the academic work I have done. I had this idea to bring awareness to bullying in sport, and I wanted others to get on board.

I saw Michael Phelps compete at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Victoria, B.C. in 2006. I am a fellow swimmer and find him, like many of his fans, inspiring to watch. Prior to this time, I had only seen him on magazine covers, talk shows, and at the 2004 Olympics. I will admit that before seeing him, I thought he was this amazingly talented swimmer who had innate talent and did not have to practice. Also, I thought because he was a celebrity he was somehow different than other swimmers. However, when seeing him in this environment, my views changed and I became even more impressed with him. I realized he works extremely hard and that all those medals are well-deserved. He is human like the rest of us. He may have the physical strength yet it is his mental strength that I admire most and makes him excel.

I went shopping the other day for a new bathing suit that I can use to go swimming in every morning. I'm a fish; I am truly happy when I am in or on the water. That is why two of my favourite activities are: rowing and swimming. I am getting back into my routine of going to the pool early in the morning and swimming laps.

As I was shopping the other day, I realized how much putting on a swimsuit instills insecurity and fear in many people. You want a suit that shapes your body and makes you look your best. We are all raised with media telling us how we should look. In a sense, wearing a swimsuit out in public makes you extremely vulnerable as many people see the shape of your body. We get self-conscious as sometimes the shape of our body may not fit the "ideal stereotype". For some this can be terrifying. I remember when I was in my early teens and self-conscious of my new curves; I would wear a t-shirt over my suit when I was at the cottage as I didn't want anyone to look at my body and possibly judge me. I grew out of that phase and am just wear bathing suits into the pool now. I realized that people will judge you regardless but you cannot let that control/prevent you from having fun and pursuing the activities you enjoy.